Celtic connections

So tonight I went to see Session A9, one of my favourite bands.

The first half was devoted to two other bands I did not know. The first one was an accomplished trio of sisters who played fiddle and also sang.The style was what they called Western Swing: there is no doubt they had the skills but this type of music seems dead to me, and while I appreciate their technical expertise I did not enjoy this: it seemed to me that they made skill the enemy of music. Just me perhaps. They played this tonight so you can judge for yourself

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H24HFte3iE&feature=related

Next up were The Sultans of String: they are Canadian and their stuff was really interesting. Again different, but this is a great band and I will be looking out for their stuff in future. They played lovely piece inspired by a trip to Lebanon one of them took and it was almost like klezmer: but I think that is not typical though this short set does not qualify me to say that. Anyway there is a sample here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8fcU6jc_4k&feature=related

Then Session A9 got the second half: and they were as good as they always are. I have posted links before but that won't stop me! This is a sampler only: so the changes are not clean: only because they are from different parts of the set

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QNYK5xGRyM

And the sleeping tune cos I love it. Posted it before; posting it again

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvbVug9ayVo&feature=related

Eat your hearts out, if you are musicians!